D'Vine Festival 2026: Hunter Valley's big food and wine

The Hunter Valley's big food and wine weekend is back, and the 2026 D'Vine Festival is shaping up to be a big one. It runs over three days on 11, 12 and 13 September, with the theme 'Meet your Makers' putting the people behind the produce front and centre. The whole thing is built around the Around Hermitage Wine and Food Trail, which takes in Hermitage Road in Pokolbin, Deasy's Road, Old North Road, Sweetwater Road and Mistletoe Lane, all with the Brokenback mountains as the backdrop.

The program is still being built, so the full line-up isn't locked in yet, but the usual suspects are expected: winery and vineyard visits, cultural experiences, paired tastings, casual street food, live music and a chance to buy local products and handmade gourmet treats. It kicks off on Friday 11 September with a casual start and an evening Winemaker Showcase, where some of the region's best winemakers take the floor. Saturday is the big day, with free bus transport running between venues, covering the Friday night event, Saturday itself and the two Saturday night sessions. Sunday winds down as a quieter day, best suited to self-driving, walking or cycling between stops. Across the three days there are more than 20 festival events, 17 discovery events, 10 hidden gems and 26 children's activities, so it's not just for the serious drinkers.

If you're planning to go, a couple of practical notes are worth knowing. The festival hub sits at Glandore Estate Wines and Hunter Wine Lab, so those are the places to keep on your radar. The dress code is smart casual with closed shoes — no heels, sandals or flip-flops, for safety's sake — and there's no outside food or drink allowed, except water, baby food or snacks for small children. There's a free concierge service that collects your purchases if you label them with your name and mobile number and delivers them to your accommodation or the Festival Hub, which is handy if you're doing a lot of shopping. On that note, the organisers recommend staying for at least two nights, with discounts available at participating providers, and there's a range of options from independent houses and hotels to luxury glamping, spas, Airbnb, bed and breakfasts and pet-friendly stays.

For a sense of what to expect, the 2025 edition ran from 19 to 21 September and leaned into the more theatrical side of things, with a Faulty Towers at the Farm dining show on the Friday night. Other activities that year included barrel tastings at Glandore Wines, a hands-on Vigneron Experience at Latitude 32 Wines, wine-paired BBQ feasts at Hunter Wine Lab, grab-and-go breakfasts from 8am, Spicers' Luxe Breakfast with Mimosas, yoga, chair massages, E-bike or Segway vine cruises, archery and clay target shooting. Whether you're after a serious tasting tour or a relaxed weekend with the kids, the 2026 edition looks set to give you plenty to choose from.